They Do Compute - By Calculator Or Hand

May 23, 1993|By Sandra Fish, of The Sentinel Staff

When it comes to using calculators in classrooms, experts are divided.

Calculators are used in many Orange County classrooms, and next fall they will be allowed for some standardized tests. Some educators say calculators save time and allow students to focus on problem solving instead of on basic computation.

''The calculator can be a tool for thinking, the same way a pencil can be a tool for thinking,'' said Grayson Wheatley, professor of math education at Florida State University.

Others argue that reliance on technology allows students to avoid learning skills they need to know. If students don't understand the basics, calculators may not help them.

''If you resort to a calculator, it takes time and it can result in errors,'' said David Geary, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Missouri. ''If you want to do well in algebra, you need to know arithmetic facts.''

Some students like calculators.

''It's easier to work out stuff, and you don't have to use your brain as much,'' said Kristy Loveland, 10, a Clay Springs fourth-grader.

And Kristy's teacher, Sandy Pipkin, said her students may grab a calculator when it's allowed, but they don't always use one.